The X-Rite is really made to be used with Adobe Lightroom, Camera Raw, and Photoshop for instant DNG profiling of your file for drag-and-drop color correction.

For me, though, I use Capture One, which uses ICC profiles for file color, so I’m excluded from using the DNG profiling. But, I discovered that if you are using Capture One, all you need to do is photograph the Munsell Color Target and use the Auto Color Correction button to have the software completely correct the file.

This, for me, is great news as I love Capture One and now can utilize the X-Rite as you Adobe users do.

Here’s what I mean. First I take a custom white balance off the neutral target:

Then I photograph the target and bring that into Capture One as well:

Then I hit the A for Auto Adjust in Capture One and get a corrected image. If you compare the two closely, you’ll see how contrast and color have been improved in the adjusted photo. After that, I just copy and paste my adjustments to my photos and I’m done: Color Correction made easy!

In the above photo, the blacks, whites, and colors are fuller and have more contrast than the original.

That’s the way I do it in Capture One. The effect is the same in Adobe products, you just need to make a DNG file and calibrate it for the software and away you go.

11 thoughts on “The X-Rite Color Checker Passport and Capture One”

thanks for the tip!
Is C1 actually interpreting the color chart and generating a new ICC or just balancing the image to accomodate the presence of the chart? If the latter, will it still work in a complex scene with other colors, or should I crop to only include the color chart?

I don’t know how C1 processes or reads it, I just know it works. I’ve had the best luck with filling the frame with the target under the surrounding light or in the studio. Give it a shot under all conditions and see. I never leave home without that target.

It is not clear what stops you from pressing “A” on any photo and get “the blacks, whites, and colors are fuller and have more contrast than the original”. And you don’t even need a ColorChecker! LOL.
Also, when you shoot it is good to put the camera to the so-called “green” mode – AUTO on dial. Doing so will greatly improve any photo, no matter what you shoot. Shutter, aperture, color control – just leave it to the nerds!

>>The X-Rite seemed to produce a better end result as it contained clean colors for
>>the Auto Adjust in C1 to choose from.
This is something like homeopathy – when you “feel” it’s getting better while actually it is not.
To really take advantage of the “clean colors” from the target you need to do something like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAq88VeYcG4
Yes, you need to take the dropper and “show” the actual colors to the C1. This is not nearly that fast and convenient as pressing “A” – but is is the only “real” way, when you do it yourself and not leaving everything to the “automation” magic.
[(P.S. Don’t tell me that you prefer homeopathy to the proven medicine)].

>>Also, some cameras don’t have an Auto mode with the green rectangle.
Of course I know that.🙂 – It was just an example of how it looks like when you press “A” over a photo with a calibration target on it, instead of making an actual measure and calibration.

The actual problem is that you cannot use ColorChecker directly in C1 – you need to use Lightroom or use some walkarounds, and pressing “A” is, of course, not the proper one, at least in terms of accuracy. It is also stange that both x-rite and PhaseOne seems to be happy with it, while they both can add a direct support.